Schools

Villa Volleyball Opens Season With Two-Set Win Over MICDS

Emily Kellerhals, the Libero digs in for the Saints.

The role of the Libero on a volleyball team is unique. The Libero roams the backline primarily, digging out a lot of low shots and setting up the forwards and centers. Senior captain Emily Kellerhals plays that role for Villa Duchesne with great distinction.

Kellerhals and her teammates played a season-opening spirited match, defeating visiting MICDS 25-17 and 25-22 to open play in the 2012 season Thursday night.

Kellerhals was picking up floor burns, scrambling all over the home court at Villa. She sparked her teammates to several comebacks. The second set was tied nine times before the Saints pulled away for the game winner.

“I have no idea how many saves I made out there. I just play to play. I was on the floor a lot I do know,” said Kellerhals.

“In my role as Libero, I will pass anything that comes my way.”

Does Villa have its sights set on another state tournament. “Oh we don’t think about that at all. We just take them one game at a time,” she said.

Shane Weber, their coach knows a thing or too about winning. “We’re working on some things. We’re working to get a freshman center (Meghan Donovan) into the mix. “We have a junior setter (Maggie Schroeder) getting her first varsity experience. She played JV for us last year.”

Schroeder gave the Saints some very good looks up-front. “She is solid, she’s a gamer. I wish we could have gotten the ball more to her. We need to get more sets to her. Marisa Drevenak kind of took over at the end for us,” said the coach.

Weber is high on his Libero.

“Emily has been on JV since a freshman and this is her first year on varsity. Her work ethic is outstanding. We’ve some kids playing defense I’m extremely happy with. All of them will pretty much run through a wall for you. They don’t know when to stop.”

Meanwhile MICDS Coach Rachel Maurer was not disappointed with the effort by her Rams. Down by a couple in the second set, the Rams came back to tie it numerous times with some spirited rallies and solid play at the net.

Schroeder’s serve on the 25th point put the game on ice.

“We played hard for our second game and I was pleased with the effort. We fought hard and Villa just made some nice plays but we fell short by a couple of points.

Again, this was the second game of the season for us and we can’t beat the effort,” said Maurer.

MICDS will play next at Whitfield September 5. Villa will be in the Lutheran St. Charles Tournament September 7-8.

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